I first want to thank Awesome Race Fans for allowing me to be a guest blogger here. I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts, as a fan, on NASCAR races, drivers, etc. It is truly an honor and I thank you.
Before I get into the crux of my post, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Trisha (for those on twitter, I’m mom2twinsplus1). As my twitter handle suggests, I’m a mom of twins, identical boys we refer to online as “twin A” and “twin B” and we have a 7 yo boy that we refer to online as “the 7 yo” (Yes, internet names for our kids. We’ve always done it. With my husbands job being in TV, we have to be extra careful about what information we publicize). I’ve been blogging since roughly 2005 over at my own blog. I grew up in Indiana where I followed Indy Car faithfully. I started watching NASCAR in 1999 when one of my favorite (and home-state) IRL drivers made the jump from Indy car – Tony Stewart. After that, I was hooked. I attended my first NASCAR race last year at Watkins Glenn, though I never actually saw the race because it was rained out. My first actual race was the following weekend at Michigan International Speedway. I will be attending both races again this year and hope to share my experiences as a fan with readers of this blog.
As the title of this post suggests, this is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. Not because I’m all that curious, but because, apparently, I’m not the image of a NASCAR fan that many of my co-workers have in their heads. I’m quite used to surprising people. When I tell people I have twins, they are surprised. When I tell them I have 3 kids, they are a bit more surprised. When I tell them, in response to the last statement, that I’m 30, they are shocked (because they say I don’t look a day over 20. I used to hate looking so young. Now that I’m 30, I don’t mind it so much!). So when I told people I was looking forward to today because, at 6:45 tonight, my week long vacation begins they all of course did the natural thing and asked what we were doing. What they didn’t expect was my answer: We’re going to NASCAR races for the next two weekends.
The responses to my answer were mixed, but most wrinkled up their noses in a look of disgust. One of my co-workers even remarked “Your poor kids!” (To which I told her they are with grandparents and aren’t going with us). The common thread was that they all seemed genuinely shocked that I could be a NASCAR fan. I’m not sure why. The only thing I could figure is that I’m clearly not who they picture when they hear “NASCAR fan.” And that has got me thinking: why? Exactly who are NASCAR fans and what do they look like?
Fortunately, I don’t think there’s a cookie-cutter answer. Because fans, of any sport, aren’t cookie-cutter. I think of the fans I know and the first that come to mind are my aunt and uncle. My aunt is corporate-CEO, but she and my uncle are huge Mark Martin fans and they have been to several races in many different states. She’s clearly not the “typical” race fan people like my co-workers think of. Then there is my step-dad. I love my step-dad like my own father, but he can be described as the “typical fan” that my co-workers envision. Then there are people like my husband and I. I’m a working mother of 3 who is also a full-time grad student and my husband is a tv meteorologist (if you follow twitter, you might know him as NASCAR_WXMAN). We aren’t your typical fans. All 5 of us in the house have drivers we root for on a regular basis (Martin, Gordon, Jr and Kahne).And we aren’t alone. There are thousands of fans just like the ones in my family that I have described all across the country.
I wish I could say to my co-workers that they shouldn’t be so judgmental – you know, the whole you-cant-judge-a-book-by-its-cover mantra. But I know it wouldn’t do any good. I’m hopeful that maybe, just maybe, them knowing that I am a fan might make them think twice next time. Because maybe what they think isn’t a typical NASCAR fan really is.
Vinny says
I agree Amy, I am not the typical fan either. I loved this post today and I am looking forward to reading more of Trisha’s post
Trisha says
Thanks Amy and Vinny. I really appreciate it ๐ Us “non-typical” fans have to stick together, lol.
Kevin says
Every time I go to a race I see people that others would not think of as NASCAR fans, myself included. Other than wearing race apperal, and most of that is Smoke clothing line any more, people are surprised that I am a NASCAR fan as well. I think we all judge every one to quickly any more. Just because we enjoy watching cars turn left does not make us toothless hicks who drink too much and chew.
By the way, I am from IN also. I now live 30 mins away from @WGI saw Stewart win there last year on Monday. It was awesome!
Enjoy your races!